This is a new album by Tarab (Australian sound artist Eamon Sprod), but
it culls pieces made in 2007-2011. Sound art both ambiant and harsh, heavy on
sharp contrasts and white noise. Minute attention to detail seemingly
contradicted by the violence of the jumps found in these collages. Sprod is
navigating through a labyrinth and he doesn’t find the exit at the end of the
album. His hesitations, dead ends and back ups become the “narrative” of I’m Lost. A difficult listen, but
a very stimulating one.

I didn’t know Taiga Remains prior to this album, which happens to be
the last one Alex Cobb will release under this moniker. First released in an
ultra-limited cassette edition, now reissued on LP by Helen Scarsdale. Gorgeous
ambient music. Dense and fluid drones, sad without getting heavy about it. This
music can easily disappear in the background of your living quarters, so stay
focused while listening.

Is Olivier Benoit capable of doing wrong? I’ve never heard him do wrong
yet. And here he is adding yet another highlight to his career with his first
album at the helm of France’s Orchestre national de jazz. As soon as he got
appointed at this prestigious position, Benoit recruited an exciting cast of
players – my readers will probably be familiar with Alexandra Grimal (sax),
Théo Ceccaldi (violin), Sophie Agnel (piano), Eric Echampard (drums), and
bassist Bruno Chevillon who, among these young and not-so-old musicians, is the
orchestra’s eminence grise. Europa
Paris is 2-CD set entirely composed by Olivier Benoit.
So except something akin to the excellent Feldspath by La Pieuvre and the Circum Grand Orchestra, though in a tighter,
punchier form, and with more guitar. Benoit has always had a knack for the
chunky riff, hard-hitting orchestral cues, and collective improvising that
resolves into a simple and efficient theme. You get all of that here, in
several iterations, and there’s no way you’ll get tired of it. Bravo. [Below:
Interview with Olivier Benoit (with English subtitled) about the Europa
project, with music excerpts.]